Matthew 20
1
“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard.
2
And after agreeing with the workers for the standard wage, he sent them into his vineyard.
3
When it was about nine o’clock in the morning, he went out again and saw others standing around in the marketplace without work.
4
He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and I will give you whatever is right.’
5
So they went. When he went out again about noon and three o’clock that afternoon, he did the same thing.
6
And about five o’clock that afternoon he went out and found others standing around, and said to them, ‘Why are you standing here all day without work?’
7
They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go and work in the vineyard too.’
8
When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages starting with the last hired until the first.’
9
When those hired about five o’clock came, each received a full day’s pay.
10
And when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more. But each one also received the standard wage.
11
When they received it, they began to complain against the landowner,
12
saying, ‘These last fellows worked one hour, and you have made them equal to us who bore the hardship and burning heat of the day.’
13
And the landowner replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am not treating you unfairly. Didn’t you agree with me to work for the standard wage?
14
Take what is yours and go. I want to give to this last man the same as I gave to you.
15
Am I not permitted to do what I want with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?’
16
So the last will be first, and the first last.”
17
As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve aside privately and said to them on the way,
18
“Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the experts in the law. They will condemn him to death,
19
and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged severely and crucified. Yet on the third day, he will be raised.”
20
Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons, and kneeling down she asked him for a favor.
21
He said to her, “What do you want?” She replied, “Permit these two sons of mine to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.”
22
Jesus answered, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink the cup I am about to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.”
23
He told them, “You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right and at my left is not mine to give. Rather, it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”
24
Now when the other 10 heard this, they were angry with the two brothers.
25
But Jesus called them and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in high positions use their authority over them.
26
It must not be this way among you! Instead whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant,
27
and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave—
28
just as the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
29
As they were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed them.
30
Two blind men were sitting by the road. When they heard that Jesus was passing by, they shouted, “Have mercy on us, Lord, Son of David!”
31
The crowd scolded them to get them to be quiet. But they shouted even more loudly, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!”
32
Jesus stopped, called them, and said, “What do you want me to do for you?”
33
They said to him, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.”
34
Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.
Commentary
Matthew 20
In Matthew 20, Jesus tells the parable of the workers in the vineyard, where those who worked only one hour were paid the same as those who worked all day. He also predicts his own death and resurrection, and two blind men are healed.
Matthew 20
1
“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard.
2
And after agreeing with the workers for the standard wage, he sent them into his vineyard.
3
When it was about nine o’clock in the morning, he went out again and saw others standing around in the marketplace without work.
4
He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and I will give you whatever is right.’
5
So they went. When he went out again about noon and three o’clock that afternoon, he did the same thing.
6
And about five o’clock that afternoon he went out and found others standing around, and said to them, ‘Why are you standing here all day without work?’
7
They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go and work in the vineyard too.’
8
When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages starting with the last hired until the first.’
9
When those hired about five o’clock came, each received a full day’s pay.
10
And when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more. But each one also received the standard wage.
11
When they received it, they began to complain against the landowner,
12
saying, ‘These last fellows worked one hour, and you have made them equal to us who bore the hardship and burning heat of the day.’
13
And the landowner replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am not treating you unfairly. Didn’t you agree with me to work for the standard wage?
14
Take what is yours and go. I want to give to this last man the same as I gave to you.
15
Am I not permitted to do what I want with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?’
16
So the last will be first, and the first last.”
17
As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve aside privately and said to them on the way,
18
“Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the experts in the law. They will condemn him to death,
19
and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged severely and crucified. Yet on the third day, he will be raised.”
20
Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons, and kneeling down she asked him for a favor.
21
He said to her, “What do you want?” She replied, “Permit these two sons of mine to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.”
22
Jesus answered, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink the cup I am about to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.”
23
He told them, “You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right and at my left is not mine to give. Rather, it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”
24
Now when the other 10 heard this, they were angry with the two brothers.
25
But Jesus called them and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in high positions use their authority over them.
26
It must not be this way among you! Instead whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant,
27
and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave—
28
just as the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
29
As they were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed them.
30
Two blind men were sitting by the road. When they heard that Jesus was passing by, they shouted, “Have mercy on us, Lord, Son of David!”
31
The crowd scolded them to get them to be quiet. But they shouted even more loudly, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!”
32
Jesus stopped, called them, and said, “What do you want me to do for you?”
33
They said to him, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.”
34
Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.